I've Been a Stylist for 15 Years—Here Are the 11 Brands I Can't Get Enough of RN
In our Ask a Stylist series, we're tapping a new expert each month to weigh in with all of their style insights. Return for a professional's perspective on what to know in fashion.
Stylist Sophie Lopez is known for dressing celebs such as Kate Hudson and Ashley Madekwe for the red carpet. With 15 years under her belt as a celebrity stylist, she’s an expert at styling her clients in designer looks for red carpet events like the Met Gala and Emmys. When it comes to her personal style, though, she gravitates more toward independent designers, which we were curious to hear more about.
"Generally, for myself, I shop the independent, smaller brands because I just find sometimes it’s a bit more wearable,” Lopez explains. "Whenever I buy really fancy clothes, I don’t wear them because they’re too fancy, and I don’t want to wear them. I’m like, ‘I need to protect it.’” That’s why you’ll find plenty of cool up-and-coming labels on her Instagram that you’ll definitely want to take note of.
For Lopez, social media is a source for discovering many of the pieces in her closet. "I find loads of brands on Instagram,” she explains. "Instagram’s really great for finding those little, lesser well-known brands that are not always sold at the big department stores.” Here, get a taste of Lopez’s personal style that’s steeped in fun prints, bold colors, and up-and-coming brands, and shop the designers she can’t get enough of right now.
The brand: Miaou
What to buy: corset-inspired pieces and bold prints
Shop Miaou:
The brand: Nanushka
What to buy: vegan-leather pieces and cool accessories
Shop Nanushka:
The brand: House of Sunny
What to buy: bold prints and colors
Shop House of Sunny:
The brand: Dion Lee
What to buy: cutout tops and modern tailoring
Shop Dion Lee:
The brand: Rixo
What to buy: colorful, printed pieces
Shop Rixo:
The brand: Miista
What to buy: sculptural shoes
Shop Miista:
The brand: Rejina Pyo
What to buy: printed tops and modern footwear
Shop Rejina Pyo:
The brand: Who What Wear Collection
What to buy: elevated basics
Shop Who What Wear Collection:
The brand: Hosbjerg
What to buy: printed pants
Shop Hosbjerg:
The brand: Belle
What to buy: pretty swimwear
Shop Belle:
The brand: Tyler McGillivary
What to buy: colorful prints
Next: The 12 Editor-Approved Trends I'm Wearing Until Further Notice
Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.
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